Michigan Oral Cancer Malpractice Misdiagnosis Lawsuits

Our Michigan dental malpractice lawyers often review cases involving the failure of dentists to timely diagnose oral cancer, including tongue cancer. Every year, oral cancer kills more people in the United States than cervical cancer, malignant melanoma or Hodgkin’s disease. The failure to diagnose oral cancer may give rise to a Michigan dental malpractice case.

Ninety percent of all oral cancers are squamous cell carcinoma, and oral cancer has one of the lowest five-year survival rates of all major cancers. This is often because the cancer is not diagnosed until the later stages. In many of these cases, a prompt and appropriate early diagnosis of the condition may have led to a different outcome.

Symptoms of Oral Cancer

Under the standard of care, dentists should view all lesions, lumps and bumps as possible cancer. Although most lesions are non-cancerous, it is necessary to closely monitor patients who have suspicious lesions until a definitive diagnosis is made. Symptoms of oral cancer include:

White or red patches in the mouth

A mouth sore that will not heal

Bleeding in the mouth

Loose teeth

Problems or pain with swallowing

A lump in your neck

An earache

Oral cancer treatments may include surgery, radiation therapy or chemotherapy. In some cases, patients may have a combination of both. Under Michigan law, a patient claiming that a dentist failed to diagnose oral cancer must show that a timely diagnose would have resulted in earlier treatment and a better outcome.

Time Deadlines For Michigan Oral Cancer Malpractice Cases

In Michigan, there is a strict time limit for filing a dental malpractice case agaisnt a dentist, oral surgeon, endodontist, or periodontist. This time limit, called the statute of limitation, is two years from the date of the negligent treatment. There are very few exceptions to this limitation period and therefore it is important to contact a Michigan dental malpractice lawyer as soon as you realize or believe you are the victim of dental malpractice.

Contact Our Michigan Oral Cancer Malpractice Lawyers

If you or a loved one has been a victim of a oral cancer misdiagnosis case, you may be entitled to compensation under Michigan law. Call our attorneys today at (800) 606-1717 and tell us your story. We will advise you of your best course of action. If we believe you have a case, we will begin work on it immediately.

As always, our attorneys represent all client under our No Fee Promise, which means you will not pay anything unless we are able to secure a settlement for you. There is absolutely nothing to lose, so call us today!